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2005 Cadillac STS

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2005 STS.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2005 Cadillac STS is a passenger car requiring 5W-30 API oil in a six-quart sump, and it generated 101 owner complaints—the most common issue being the electrical system—along with three recalls. Within the model's 1998-2011 complaint history, the 2005 model year falls between the lowest-complaint 1998 (3 complaints) and the highest-complaint 2006 (141 complaints), indicating a moderate reliability position for this generation.

Model year2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 101 · 540 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731179. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 101 · 540 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731179 alt 12577653
Engine air filter	25798271
Fuel filter	25763176
Spark plug	19301814 alt 19300872
Battery	88864066
Front wiper blades	22840632 alt 22840631
Serpentine belt	12578062 alt 12621991
Thermostat	12559807 alt 12582472
Cabin air filter	88957450

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	196.5 in
Overall width	72.4 in
Overall height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	116.1 in
Curb weight	3858 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.8 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	54/46

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the STS of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.0–6.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.00 sec — 2005 V8 Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2005	V8 Sedan 4.6L V8	6.00 sec	14.50 sec	320 hp	RWD
2005	V8 Sedan 4.6L V8	6.00 sec	14.60 sec	320 hp	RWD
2005	V8 Sedan 4.6L V8	6.10 sec	14.40 sec	320 hp	RWD
2005	V6 Sedan 3.6L V6	6.80 sec	15.00 sec	255 hp	RWD
2008	V6 Sedan 3.6L V6	6.20 sec	14.70 sec	302 hp	RWD
2008	V6 Sedan 3.6L V6	6.50 sec	14.90 sec	302 hp	RWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 15.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	5
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	2.7 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	6 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	9.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	118 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	118 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	AC 41-990
Spark Plug Gap	0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	13.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	GM-part number 12571533

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.38 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	4.73 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	101
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	540 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	101

Service checks

Pressure Test	15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	194-225 °F
Pressure Test	15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	194-225 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	41-47
Injector Primary Resistance	11-14 @ 68 degreesF ohms

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle	96 ft-lbs / 88 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	25 ft-lbs / 44 ft-lbs / 46 ft-lbs
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.259 in / 1.102 in / 1.267 in / 1.023 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.259 in / 1.102 in / 1.267 in / 1.023 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.22 in / 1.062 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	1.181 in / 1.023 in / 1.209 in / 0.944 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., step 2: 150

74 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

37 ft. lbs., step 2: 120

37 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

1	M11 bolts	33 ft. lbs
2	M11 bolts	120 degrees
3	M8 bolts	11 ft. lbs
4	M8 bolts	60 degrees

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Note: Ensure replacement M11 cylinder head bolts are of the same thread, pitch as original cylinder bolts to prevent engine damage., Bolts with a 1.5 mm thread pitch have a thread length of 1.89 inches (48 mm)., Bolts with a 2.0 mm thread pitch have a thread length of 2.638 inches (67 mm). Step 1: M11 bolts: 22 ft. lbs.

2	M11 bolts	60 degrees
3	M11 bolts	60 degrees
4	M11 bolts	60 degrees
5	8.9

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Throttle Body (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Fuel System (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2005 Cadillac STS marks a dramatic inflection point in the federal record: complaints surged to 101 from just 12 in 2001, recalls rose from zero to three, and TSBs ballooned from 69 to 626. The following year, 2006, reached an even higher watermark with 141 complaints and four recalls, placing 2005 at the leading edge of a steep escalation that did not begin subsiding until 2007, when complaints fell to 53. The top 2005 complaint categories were Electrical System and Power Train, and the year logged 13 crash-related and four fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes for these issues. Because 2005 sits at the front of the generation’s worst complaint arc—improving measurably only after the 2006 peak—it is not the strongest year to buy.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

626

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

101

Owner complaints

13 involved a crash · 4 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’98 ’99 ’00 ’01’05’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 101 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System12

Power Train11

Air Bags7

Visibility5

Structure4

Engine & Engine Cooling4

Wheels3

Unknown Or Other3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07V589000Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft:SealReported 20/12/2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR AXLE PINION SEAL DOES NOT MEET ALL OF THE SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY EXPERIENCE A FLUID LEAK. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PINION SEAL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 1, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006 OR HTTP://WWW.CADILLAC.COM; PONTIAC AT…

06V020000Fuel System, Gasoline:DeliveryReported 25/01/2006

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES MAY HAVE A CONDITION WHERE FUEL IS NO LONGER SUPPLIED TO THE ENGINE. THIS CONDITION OCCURS WITHOUT THE ILLUMINATION OF THE FUEL LEVEL LOW INDICATOR LIGHT OR THE WARNING CHIME. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WITH NEW SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED IN DECEMBER 2005 AND ASKED TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST 1/4 OF A TANK…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 626 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4964F	2025-05-29	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific STS. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 101 battery Vehicles taking 6 qt Engine oil filter 12731179 Engine air filter 25798271 Fuel filter 25763176 Spark plug 19301814

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2005 STS take?

6 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2005 STS have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.